Lumber-stabilizing device



Dec. 24, 1929. L. CAPPELLETTI LUMBER STABILIZING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1928 gwuentoz L. CAPPELLETTI Patented Dec. 24, 1929 PATENT OFFICE LUIS CAPPELLETTI, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA LUMBER-STABILIZING DEVICE Application filed February 8, 1928.

This invent-ion relates to a tool convenient for carpenters and others while using planes, saws or chisels upon woods of irregular form. It often occurs that various kinds of wood or timbers have curved or undulating surfaces, and in order that they may be held stationary, during operation, they are generally secured in a vice which is mounted on a work bench.

However, it often occurs that woodworking is carried on in places remote from a carpenters shop and in places where a vice is not available. An object of the invention, therefore is to provide a tool which may be 5 conveniently carried about by an operator ready for use as a substitute for a carpenters vice.

Another object is to provide a tool which may be readily applied to a timber or other Wooden body and will securely hold it in a stationary position. Still another object is to provide a tool for the purposes mentioned which will consist of few and simple parts will be convenient in use, will be durable and a may be manufactured at a limited expense.

W'ith the foregoing objects in view the invention presents a novel and useful construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illus- O trated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that changes in form, size, proportion and minor details may be changed, said changes being determined by the scope of the invention as claimed. I In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the tool in operative position, the view being broken away and partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sheath which provides a mounting for the toothed plunger-bar, parts being broken away.

3 is a side or edgewise view of the sheath shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end view of the sheath.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention is shown and described in connection with a horizontal support 6 upon which the tool may be placed for operation. Also it is shown in connection with a piece of timber 7, the size or form of this wood element to be operated upon, not being important.

Serial No. 252,781.

The tool consists, in part, of an elongated adjusting-plate 8 which is provided at one of its ends With a stop-member 9, a plurality of apertures 10 being formed in the end-portion of said plate at uniform longitudinal intervals thereof. Numeral 11 indicates a sheath, preferably of flat, rectangular form in plan, said sheath consisting of a lower plate a and an upper plate 5, the lower plate preferably being provided at one of its edges with a pair of tabs 12 Which are bent to lie upon the upper surface of the upper plate, said tabs, together with keepers 13 operating to secure these plates in connected relation.

The plates are preferably of attenuated form, and they are suitably spaced apart. Blocks 14 are mounted in the sheath for maintaining the two plates in spaced relation.

Numerals 15 indicate a pair of pins or projections which extend downwardly from the sheath for engaging in any two selected, adjacent apertures 10, whereby the sheath may be adjusted longitudinally of the plate 8, the spacing apartof the projections 15 corresponding to the distance from each other of said apertures 10.

Numeral 20 indicates a plunger-bar pro vided at its rear end with a handle 17, its front end being provided with a flat blade 18 for entering a wood element 7, the longitudinal edges of said bar being provided with teeth 19.

Numerals 20 indicate a pair of catches, each being pivotally mounted as indicated at 0. They are mounted between the plates of the sheath and each projects outwardly from the edges of the plates, and each catch is provided at its outer end with a handle or lingerpiece (Z.

By means of springs e the catches are normally pressed against the teeth 19. The teeth are of such inclination that the plungerbar may be moved forwardly but a rearward movement of the bar will be resisted until the catches are released from the teeth.

The degree of thickness for the plungerbar is approximately equalto the distance from each other of the plates of the sheath, the parts being of such proportion that the plunger-bar may be moved without undue friction.

It will be noted that the plunger-bar is of'adequate length so that timbers of short lengths may be held as well as those of greater lengths. In operation the plunger-bar may be moved with sufficient force to cause the blade 18 to enterthe wood a suiiicient distance for effective operation, and the wood body 7 will be held stationary by use of the device.

That part of the plunger-bar adjacent to the blade 18 is preferably of angular form as indicated at 21 so that the blade may engage a board, plank or other wood body somewhat remote from the edge thereof, for effective operation. 7

It will be understood that the adjustments of the sheath longitudinally of the plate 8 is important as a matter of advantage in operation, since lumber to be treated may have diflerent lengths.

I claim as my invention',-

1. A device of the kind described comprising a plate having an abutment at one end for the lumber and having spaced openings at its other end, a pair of platesdisposed one above the other, one of said plates having lugs enveloping the other plate, blocks at the ends of the plates for separting the same and providing an intermediate space between the plates opening through the sides of the casing, means for holding the plates and blocks together, pins carried by the casing for extending into the openings in said first mentioned plate, a bar having inclined teeth upon both edges slidably mounted between said plates of the casing and projecting at both ends thereof, one end of said bar having an upwardly offset pointed portion for engaging the lumber, an upstanding handle at the other end of the bar, a pair of pivoted pawls mounted at opposite sides of the bar in the intermediate spaces between the casing plates, yieldable means for urging the pawls into engagement with the teeth of the bar, and upstanding operating portions for the pawls extending above the upper plate of the casing.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing composed of upper and lower plates, blocks between the upper and lower plates at the ends only thereof leaving an intermediate space between the plates open at both sides of the casing, a bar movably mounted longitudinally through the casing and between the plates and extending beyond both ends of the casing, said bar having inclined teeth in the side edges thereof, said bar also having a lumber engaging end, a handle at the opposite end of the bar, means for securing said plates and blocks together, pawls pivoted to said plates within the intermediate space of the casingand at opposite sides of said bar for releasably en- LUIS CAPPELLETTI. 

